AN: See? Not dead. ^_^ This fic is still very much alive. Sorry for the LONG wait, but Vegas sort of had me under it's spell for a while. Now, here is the next chapter, with a bit of lemony-lime-citrus type flavor. So be warned, this chapter is rated M, although- as always- I am very non-graphic about it. Oh.. and the lemon is dedicated to SilentEpiphany, one of my dear muses. Her vague words started a plot-bunny rampage and caused almost a total... um... epiphany. I didn't like the way it was going, so I'm going in a few new directions with it. So, enjoy this new chapter!

Trial By Fire

Moonlight and Innocence

#

Midii nearly screamed as she pulled herself out of the vision. Tears poured down her face as she scrambled away from the stone bowl where she'd been washing her face. She had to get to the Trinity.

She paid no heed to her state of half-dress as she sprinted down the halls of the nearly palace-like sanctuary- the Convent. She'd been preparing for bed when the vision had hit her, harder than anything she'd seen or felt before.

"My ladies!" She screamed, stumbling towards the secluded wing that was home to the three Priestesses of the Southern Trinity.

"Midii, child, what's wrong?" Relena was upon the woman in an instant, the first of the Trinity out of the door."

Meiva and Dorothy followed quickly behind her, the two stronger of the Trinity moving to support Midii as her strength flagged and she nearly collapsed.

"My sight, ladies," she said. "I had a vision. A terrible vision."

"Dorothy, the chaise," Meiva whispered, and together the two priestesses supported the woman into the secluded wing and onto a chaise lounge. Relena appeared with a shallow cup of water and helped her to drink.

Dorothy seated herself on the chaise beside Midii. "Will you tell us of your vision, seer?

Midii nodded. "I saw... I think it was the kingdom of Sanq," she replied softly. "Only, it was in shambled. War and famine plagued the villages, and the castle was completely holed up. Some six people were eating... a feast! A feast of all things, while the people suffered. One of the women at the table stood up, complaining. She began to argue in favor of the people, saying that 'this was not the reason the council was created. We were supposed to create a better kingdom, instead we'd have been better off still under Kushrenada's rule.' And then, another man lifted his hand, and it was as if lightning stuck, and she was dead." Midii burst out into tears. "I don't understand, ladies. Why?"

Dorothy's eyes met those of her two counterparts, and she nodded. "Midii, we need to discuss this. Rest here, we'll be back shortly."

She stood, and Relena and Meiva followed her into another room, Meiva closing the doors behind them.

"Conflicting visions!" Dorothy exclaimed. "If my grandfather truly is helping Treize, it would be close to impossible to defeat him!"

"And yet Midii just said that Treize had been overthrown. It seemed as if a council ruled instead of one monarch," Relena murmured.

"Democracy," Meiva decided. "That's what the Resistance plans on, no? Governed by the people, a council of representatives elected for each region?"

"Only the people at mass are too foolish for their own good," Dorothy surmised. "And the people they elect are worse than Kushrenada."

"Some people are too child-like to receive freedom too quickly," Relena added. "Sisters... this is growing too complicated. Between Dermail and Treize, and now such an uncertain future... things are not looking so good."

Dorothy looked at her sisters. "You may not like the idea... but I have a plan."

#

Quatre lay stick straight on his small little cot. He'd given Duo a relatively clean bill of health before he'd retired for the night; as long as the 'mover' didn't rush recovery, he should be okay to travel on the morrow- something Wufei was very keen to be doing- Wufei never liked staying in one place too long.

Months of laying alone had taken their toll on the healer, and now... Trowa was but feet away- though it might have been miles. With an aggravated sigh, he rolled over and out of the lonely bed.

Not wanting to wake the two that were sleeping in the common area, he carefully crawled out of the window, letting the moonlight illuminate his way as he traced a path around the house to the back porch. The door to the inside was closed, and in front of it, Trowa rested in a hammock strung between the porch supports. In the darkness, Aqua eyes met slitted Emerald. So Trowa hadn't been able to sleep, either.

Silent as mist, Quatre picked his way forward. With never a word spoken, he lifted a knee, braced it beside Trowa's waist, on the netting, then, Trowa rolling slightly to balance, Quatre slide up onto him. They were old hands at the balancing act, and Quatre was quite at ease laying himself down flush against Trowa's lean body.

"Missed you", he murmured, kissing Trowa's neck.

"Always," Trowa replied softly, his hands tracing paths up Quatre's sides, over his back.

"You're going to Ellesmera tomorrow, aren't you?"

"Wufei wants to leave by noon," was the downcast reply.

"I'm going with you," Quatre said, off-handedly. "I need to restock my herbs, and trading with Sally is the best way. Besides, it's been a long time since I've seen Noin. I should pay my respects."

"Only fitting, as you are an Ellesmeran citizen."

"Half," Quatre sighed, knowing it was useless to argue the entire point. Not now... not when he was touching Trowa like this. No... arguing could wait.

Trowa, too, wouldn't argue the point. He knew Quatre wouldn't stay. Quatre would come back, here to Clare. That was understood. And there would be little time on the long road for touching like this... he would content himself with now, and take pleasure in Quatre's company later.

"Trowa," Quatre breathed, moving ever so slightly, pressing his body against his lover's. "Please," he begged.

"Shhhh," Trowa comforted him, even as he used his touch to light fires along Quatre's nerves, even as the small blond kissed his neck, returning the fire.

Hands wandered, kisses trailed. Breaths came in soft gasps, skin glistened with perspiration as clothes were lost. The full moon shone down, shedding it's unyielding light upon the young lovers.

"Now," Trowa whispered, gazing up in awe at a sight he would never tire of... a sight that would never fail to make him wonder what he had done to deserve such beauty. Quatre, arched above him, gold hair glimmering pale white in the moonlight and aqua eyes shadowed to dark cobalt as he lowered himself down onto Trowa.

"Mine," Trowa affirmed, hands tracing down smooth, pale skin.

"Always."

And together, they came. Moving together, loving together.

Always together.

#

Duo woke up near dawn, rolling over. The itching sensation had dulled, but in it's wake, it left him with another problem. He closed his eyes, trying to ignore it, trying to let the light of the banked fire send him to sleep.

No such luck. With a silent groan, he sat up, testing his feet on the ground. He was a bit wobbly on the, having not walked in a few days now, and the itchiness intensified in his legs. He paused for a moment to gain his equilibrium again, then set carefully across the room, towards the back door. Trowa'd mentioned something about an outhouse...

Wufei was asleep, sitting up in a chair in front of the fire. Duo quietly crept past him, but was shocked with a golden hand reached out and grasped his wrist.

"I wouldn't go that way if I were you," Wufei said softly.

Duo blinked. He'd never seen Wufei move a muscle. He was good. Even now, his eyes were closed, his whole body at ease, except for the one arm that still gripped Duo's wrist.

"I've gotta pee," Duo insisted. "I won't wake Trowa up, if that's what you're worried about..."

"No. I'm more worried about what you'd see, little one."

"Huh?"

Onyx eyes blinked open at him. "They're lovers. This is the first night they've had together in many, many months. You do the math."

Duo looked from the Ki-Lin warrior to the door and back again. "You mean... they..."

Wufei nodded. "Use the front door. It's safer."

Duo narrowed his eyes. "I know about sex," he snapped. "I'm not that innocent."

Wufei observed him with those eyes, the black glittering with firelight, and Duo could momentarily feel the heat of flames under the skin that touched him. Then, the hand was gone.

"You're still young," Wufei commented. "Too young. You are innocent, compared to the likes of us. If you travel with us... you'll loose that innocence. You'll have to kill. Are you sure you know what you're getting yourself into? We are not nice people."

"You do have some kindness," Duo reasoned, "Else you wouldn't be trying to warn me. And like I said... I'm not that innocent." He'd picked up that Wufei hadn't been talking about sex anymore. True, Duo was innocent in the technical sense that way, but he knew the logistics of it.

"You forget," Duo said, voice low and husky, "what happened at the Maxwell Monastery. I'm far from innocent."

He turned his back on the fire-mage and continued on slowly to the door.

"You've more innocence than you think," Wufei said. "Remember that... for if you leave this place with us tomorrow... you won't keep it for long."

Duo snorted, and walked out the door, leaving Wufei sitting alone.

Onyx eyes stared at the door, even after the braided boy had disappeared from sight. There was a kindness in the boy, Wufei saw. A kind of purity. He figured it was the same kind of purity Quatre had before he'd found Trowa. Even if he had taken lives before... it hadn't changed his soul. Even if he wasn't a virgin to sex, they hadn't touched his innocence.

If he went to Ellesmera... the forest and it's secrets would take that purity, change his soul. It always did. If Wufei were to touch him, he'd take that innocence.

And Wufei surprised himself- a part of him wanted to take that innocence, to see what the braided boy would look like as a man, what he'd look like flushed from desire, with the fire of passion burning along his nerves. It was the first time in a long time he'd felt a yearning like this; he hadn't felt it for anyone since...

Wufei shifted in his seat, and glared at the fire.

'Damn it all, Yuy,' he thought angrily. 'I hate you for this. For what you've done to me.'

#

To Be Continued...